Deaerating water



G. H. GIBSON DEAERATING WATER Filed April 11, 1921 Oct. 11, 1927.

ATTORNEY Patented oct. 11, 1927.

, UNITED STATES GEORGEHEBBERT GIBSON, 0F MONTCLAIR, NEW JERSEY., ASSIGNOR TO COCHRANE CORPORATION, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION 0F PENN- SY LVAN IA.

DEAERATING WATER.

available for use in the deaerating process is ordinarily insuicient to heat the water to a temperature of 212 F., and Where -at times there may be no steam whatever ava1lable for use in the deaerating process. In accordance with lthe present invention air is removed from the water by passing the latter through a deaerating chamber which is preferably of the open feed water type having an air and vapor space through which the water is passed in finely divi-ded or broken streams and from which air mixed with more orless vapor is withdrawn by a suit able ejector which normally maintains a substantial vacuum in the deaerating chamber. The available steam is passed into the steam and air space of the deaeratin chamber. rIhe ejector employed should e of a type and capacity enabling it to withdraw air from the chamber as rapidly as the air is liberated from the water without with-V .drawing an unduly large quantity of steam when, as may occasionally occur, the amount of steam supplied to the deaerating chamber is sufficient to maintain a pressure therein equal to or exceeding that of the atmosphere.

j By proceeding in the manner described, I am able to eliminate all but a very smallportion of air or other gases dissolved in the water with apparatus which is relatively simple. With the restricted amount of steam available inthe normal contemplated operation of the apparatus. the deaerated water will leave thel deaeratin chamber at a temperature appreciably be ow 212 F. The available steam no matter how relatively small the amount may be is eifectually utilized in heating the water and in facilitating the air removal. The amount of air remaining in the Water after the treatment described is so small as to be practically unobjectionable either because of its corrosive effect or otherwise for many purposes for which deaerated water is required, but this small air content may be eliminated, if desired, by additional vtreatment in known Ways, as by passing it through a filter of iron filings or the like which may be placed in y what diagrammatic elevation with partsy broken away and in section.

In the drawing A represents a deaerating chamber, which in its general aspects is like an ordinary open feed .water heater,having `an outlet A for the treatedwater, a steam inlet A2, and a raw water. supply pipe D. The discharge of water into they chamber A through the pipe D isl regulated by a valve E which is automatically opened and closed by a oat F as required to maintain the proper water level in the chamber A. The

outlet E from the valve 'E opens intoa dip flow valve I, which is of a known type and A serves to prevent the passage of steaminto the chamber except when the pressure in the plpe H exceeds the pressure of the atmosphere.A

The valve I, as illustrated, is provided with a plurality of ports each controlled by a corresponding valve 'member I which is givena closinv tendency by a corresponding spring I2 andi-b phere acting against a piston I* working in a piston chamber I5 which is open'at 4its outer en'd'to the atmosphere and at itsvinner side to the outlet chamber of the valve I. The valves I and their pistons I* are of the y the pressure of the atmos same diameter sq, that the valve members I are balanced in so far as the pressure in the outlet .chamber I is concerned. With a valve I of the type illustrated controlling the How of steam to the chamber A, the latter has no tendency to lower the pressure in the pipe H below the predetermined valve at which the valves I'open. This is desirable, for example, where the pipe H receives exhaust steam from auxiliaries which should not be operated under a vacuum or minus pressure, and is desirable also where the pipe receives steam from a source of supply which must take care of steam demands more important than that of the deaeratin chamber A.v The valve I may be dispense with in some cases, as when the pipe H leads directly from the exhaust of a steam turbine or other source of steam operating at a pressure below that of the atmosphere.

Air is withdrawn from' the heater A through an outlet As which is connected to the inlet of a steam jet ejector or exhauster K. K represents the steam supply line to' the latter. The ejector outlet K2 leads to the upper portion of a gleaner or vapor condenser L which as shown com rises a drum surrounding an enlarged portion D o the raw water supply pipe D. L represents an outlet for air and water of condensation from the annular space within the drum L surrounding the pipe D. The water dripping from the outlet L passes into a spout M leading to a float tra M. The latter is provided with an outlet 4 leading backn to the chamber A, and with a water sealed valve M5 controlled by a float M2 and serving to4 permit the passage of water but not of air into the chamber A through the pipe M.

To guard against an a normal accumulation of water 1n the chamber A, an overow connection Aa is provided. The latter includes a non-return or check valve A* which is water sealed by locating it below the level of the discharge end A5 of the outlet connection A. The chamber A is lprovided at its u per end with a normally closed vacuum brea lng valve O which is connected to a float O above the normal water level in the chamber A. On a suiicient rise in water level in the chamber A, the float O opens the vacuum breaking valve O and permits the pressure in the chamber A to build up to that in the atmosphere. 4When this occursthe excess water in the chamber A will discharge through the connection.A A. To eliminate oil accumulating in the separator G, the outlet G from the latter is connected to a vacnum trap P which may be of the known montejus type, comprising a` iioat actuated valve mechanism for intermittently 'admitting steam to the trap P to blow out liquid' which has accumulated therein without permitting any back ow of li uid or of air into Je separator. G throug the connecamounts of steam and water supplied to the A chamber A. Normally it will Abe appreciably below that of the atmosphere. Under the described conditions of operation the water admitted to the chamber A through the pipe D will liberate all but a relatively insigmficant ortion of its air content as it passes over t e splash trays E and falls from the latter `to the bottom of the chamber.

The supply of water to the chamber A is normally regulated by the float F and valve E as required to meet the demandfor water Withdrawn through the outlet A. The small amount of steam supplied to the e'ector K through the supply p1 K, and t e water vapor admixed with t e air withdrawn by thel ejector K through the outlet A are condensed in the condensing space between the pipe D and the drum L without unduly increasing the temperature of the water passing through the chamber A to the pipe D.

The water of condensation issued from the..

outlet A is automatically returned to the chamber A through the float trap M and the return connection M.

The contemplated mode of operating the apparatus disclosed insures thorough deaeration of the water, and the delivery therefrom of the deaerated water at a temperature which normally is sufficiently low, say 150 or 160 F., for the e'ective utilization of an economizer in preheating the wat-er before its delivery to a boiler. Since the normal working temperature in the heater A is appreciably below212 F., substantial variations in the relative' amounts of exhaust steam supply and water to be'heated can occur without waste of steam to the atmosphere. Such variations in the relative prolportions of steam and. air supplied produce consequent variations -in the temperature at which the water issues fromv the deaerating apparatus, but such variations as occur from this cause are relatively unimportant from a practical standpoint when the deaerating apparatus is used in treating boiler feed water for delivery to an economizer, especially since`v ordinarily in such use the high tem ratures would occur under conditions of light load, and the low temperatures under conditions of heavy load when the'econois most important.

be-apparent to those skilled in the art that formal changes may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention as' Y set forth in the appended claims.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In heating and deaerating water, the method of utillzing steam, normally available in restricted and variable amounts from a source in which a minimum pressure is desirably maintained, to facilitate deaeration and 1n heating the water, which consists in passing the water through a deaerating chamber in a finely divided form, and supplying steam to said chamber from said source to satisfy the heat absorption capacity of the chamber so far as is possible without reducing the pressure ofl the steam source below said minimum pressure -and without regard to the difference between the pressure of said source and in said cham'- ber, and withdrawing air and vapor from said chamber as required to maintain a pressure therein corresponding approximately to the pressure of the saturated water vapor at the temperature to which the -water is heated in said chamber.

2. In heating and deaerating water, the method of utilizing steam normally available in restricted and variable amounts froma source in which a minimum pressure is desirably maintained, to facilitate deaeration and in heating the water, which consists in passing the water through a deaerating chamber in a fnel divided form, and supplying steam to sai chamber from said source to satisfy the heat absorption capacity of the chamber so far as is possible without reducing the pressure of the steam -source below said minimum pressure, withdrawing air and vapor from said chamber as required to maintain a pressure therein corresponding approximately to the pressure of saturated vapor at the temperature to which the water is heated in said chamber, cooling the air and vapor withdrawn from said chamber with the water passing into the chamber, and returning the condensate thereby formed to said chamber.

@Apparatus for deaerating water comprising 1n combination aA closed chamber avmg a water inlet and outlet and provisions for regulating the height of water level in the chamber so as to maintain a steam and air space in the upper portion p of the chamber, an exhauster Ifor withdrawing air from said steam and water space,

a source of steam supply, and means independent of the pressure in said space for regulating the passage of steam .from said source to said space in response tothe pressure of the steam in said source of supply.

4. Apparatus for Ideaerating water comprising in combination a closed chamber having a water inlet and service water outlet and an overflow outlet connection including a non-return valve preventing back flow into the chamber, an exhauster for withdrawing air from the chamber, means normally supplying steam to said chamber inamount insutlicient to maintain a pressure in'said chamber as high as that of the atmosphere, and a float actuated valve operative on a predetermined increase in height of water level in said chamber to admit air thereto and thereby cause the excess water to discharge through said overflow connection.

5. Apparatus for deaerating water comprising in combination a closed chamber having a water inlet and a water outlet and means for regulating Athe height of-water level in the chamber as required to maintain a steam and, air space in the upper portion thereof, an exhauster for withdrawing air from said chamber, and means comprising a steam supply line including an oil separator for supplying steam to said chamber in amount normally insufcient to maintain a vapor pressure in the chamber as high as that of the atmosphere, and provisions including a vacuum trap for discharging liquid from said separator at intervals.

6. Apparatus for deaerating water comprising in combination a closed chamber having a water inlet and outlet and means I for regulating the height of water level therein soI as to maintain a steam and air space in said chamber, an exhauster for withdrawing air and vapor from said chamber, means for supplying steam to said chamber in amount normally insufficient to maintain a vapor pressure therein as high as atmospheric pressure, and a condenser cooled by the water passin to the water inlet of the .chamber and coo ing the air and vapor withdrawn from said chamber, and means for returningthe water of condensation formed in said condenser to said chamber comprising a float trap connected to said chamber.

7. Apparatus for deaerating vwater comprising in combination a closed chamber having a water inlet and outlet and means for regulating the height of waterv level therein so as to maintain a steam and alr `space in said chamber, an cxhauster for with- 

